


Runway from home

by Hairstyleofme03



Series: Coming back home [2]
Category: Daredevil (TV), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies), Spider-Man - All Media Types
Genre: Awesome May Parker (Spider-Man), Blood and Injury, Comic Book Science, F/M, Gen, Guilt, Hurt Peter Parker, Medical Inaccuracies, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Peter Parker Whump, Peter Parker has PTSD, Post-Avengers: Endgame (Movie), Post-Spider-Man: Far From Home, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Ryker's(prison), Sad Peter Parker, Swearing, Worried May Parker (Spider-Man)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-22
Updated: 2021-02-19
Packaged: 2021-03-11 04:20:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 14,121
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28239105
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hairstyleofme03/pseuds/Hairstyleofme03
Summary: After having his identity was revealed to the world Peter Parker will have to face a trial with legal help from a friend/ally, the government hunting him down metaphorically and a new enemy hunting him down literally.  Oh, and two Avengers tracking him down in hopes of finding answers to something he might or might not have.
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes & Peter Parker, James "Bucky" Barnes & Peter Parker & Sam Wilson, James "Bucky" Barnes & Sam Wilson, Matt Murdock & Franklin "Foggy" Nelson & Karen Page, Matt Murdock & Karen Page, Matt Murdock & May Parker (Spider-Man), Matt Murdock & Peter Parker, May Parker & Peter Parker, Michelle Jones/Peter Parker, Ned Leeds & Peter Parker
Series: Coming back home [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2065545
Comments: 16
Kudos: 64





	1. The origin

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! This is a story I had in my mind for quite a while and now I am so exited to finally write it. 
> 
> Again English is not my first language so if you spot grammar or vocabulary errors please write them in the comments. 
> 
> All characters are owned by Marvel. 
> 
> Thanks for reading! 
> 
> -H

**14/2/2016**

**Hell’s Kitchen W 53** **rd** **St**

**01:12am**

He had been searching for him for two days now and he finally tracked him down. 

Hell’s Kitchen was a bit far from Queens but if skipping a few bus stops would bring justice ~~(revenge)~~ then so be it. So he took his red hoodie and dark faded jeans and hit the streets. 

It was raining when he finally had him in the corner scared, as scared as someone would be if a guy (child actually) punched right in his face as he walked out of the bar he usually hangs out and gets drunk, took him by his dirty jacket and threw him across an alley with such force if he was sober he would realize it was with superhuman strength. 

As scared as someone would be for killing an innocent man in cold blood with payback right in front of him. 

As the thug tried to get up Peter kicked him in the gut and he fell on his hands and knees. Another kick came and he fell all together. 

“GET UP!” Peter screamed with fury. He was way past angry at this point, he was livid. He screamed as kicked once more. 

“I SAID GET UP!” 

The thug was spitting blood at this point. Noticing it Peter took him by the front of his shirt and pinned him on the wall. For the thug it seemed like those were the last moments of his life but for Peter it was the moment of truth. After...after he started looking for anyone that fit the description the police gave about the man that killed his...no he couldn’t think about that right now he had a job to do. He took a glance at the man’s face and recognition hit him harder than Flash had ever did at this point.

No, no it wasn't possible. No. NO!

His eyes went wide as he realized that he was the guilty one, he was the one responsible for his own suffering. 

If he had stopped that thief back at the arena he wouldn’t have...he wouldn't have... 

So he let his emotions take over him and started punching the thug holding back just enough so he wouldn’t kill him. He wouldn’t kill him...right? 

“YOU DID THIS!” another punch. 

“YOU KILLED HIM!” another punch.

He heard thud as if someone had jumped from a roof but he didn’t put much thought to it as he continued to hit the thug. The rain was getting stronger by the second. His shoes were soaked along with his clothes and he just didn't care! 

“TELL ME WHY?! FOR MONEY?! WHY!” he screamed asking for himself more than the man in front of him. 

“I think he had enough.” 

Peter jumped at the voice and looked behind him. It was a man in a red and black costume. His helmet had horns and his appearance screamed danger but his newly acquired senses were quiet, his senses never failed him yet so he decided to trust them. His first thought was to run, but didn't so as the man in front of him could easily catch up to him.

“You-you are the Daredevil.” Peter decided to answer more trembling than he liked to. He had heard of him on the news. The man that beats up criminals during the night in Hell’s Kitchen like a superhero however the police prefer the term “vigilante”. He wouldn’t attack him, he hadn’t commit a crime but as he glanced the unconscious man with his face now covered in blood and bruises said the opposite. His heart stared racing as he realized what he had done and looked at his bloody hands. 

“Didn’t know the residents in Queens had heard of me.” the devil said and he took a step forward as Peter’s eyes moved from his hands to the vigilante in front of him and took a step step back. “How do you know I am from Queens?” he asked. Maybe he was actually the devil and just knew stuff. It didn't cross his mind that the devil of Hell's Kitchen recognised the smell that Queen's sever waters on him.

“How old are you?” he ignored his question to ask his own. Peter perhaps should do the same thing but was too scared to not answer. It seemed that the strong rai became a light drizzle.

“Seventeen” he tried to lie.

“Try again and this time the truth.” of course he knew he was lying. The theory of him being actually the devil himself didn’t seem too farfetched at the moment, even the news were sceptical whenever he was an actual human being. Lying didn’t seem like an option so he went with telling the truth. 

“Fourteen...” he said this time, the devil let out a sigh as if he was sorry for him. 

“Were you born that way or was it an accident?” he asked. 

Peter understood exactly what he was referring but wouldn’t the devil know that like everything else? He really didn't want to answer, he was a freak and that was the only thing the man should know. 

“Are you going to hand me over to the police?” the question was told in a whisper however Daredevil seemed to have heard him. 

“No, you should go home.” he said with a serious tone.

“I am not done with him.” Peter tried to mask his fear with anger, it wasn’t difficult but he was still trembling. He should have wore a coat. 

“And what are you going to do? Beat him to death? He’s already unconscious.” he took another step forward but Peter didn’t step back. It was his problem, his responsibility to make him pay for his crimes. But didn’t he let the criminal go the first time? Well, he wouldn’t repeat the same mistake again. 

“You don’t get to say that, I have heard what you do to criminals. You don't have the right to judge me!” it came out angrier than he wanted to, however he didn’t care that in front of him was the man that could put him into some serious trouble. 

“You are angry at the moment, I get that, but believe me when I say that revenge won’t bring him back.” he said sympathetically. How did he know about that? Oh, he had screamed loud enough for the whole street to hear. Nobody else came to stop him, perhaps because that happened daily in New York for anyone to care enough. Daredevil did, maybe he was more human than what others give him credit for. 

Peter lowered his head once again realising that this wasn't what he really wanted.

“I know.” he knew that already, he wasn’t stupid. “I don’t know what to do anymore.” now that he calmed a little grief was taking over him, tears that weren’t supposed to be there were mixing with the raindrops on his face. 

“Let the police handle him.” he tried to give advise in what to do since he knew the kid in front of him didn’t know what to do with the man behind him. The kid had powers, to be able to take on a full grown man and almost kill him made that obvious. So he did something stupid. 

“If you need any help legal or otherwise call this number.” he took a card out of one of his pockets and extended his hand for the kid to take. 

The kid took the card that somehow didn’t get soaked by the rain hesitantly and read it after that he looked up again. 

“A law firm?” 

“You can trust them.” 

The kid scoffed. “I don’t think I will need legal help anytime soon.” 

“Maybe, but who knows what will happen in the future.” he made a nod for him to look behind. 

Peter looked back at the thug that was still unconscious and then back at Daredevil, but he was already gone. 

*** 

**19/7/2023**

**Queens** **Forest Hills**

**10:25am**

Peter was sitting in his room looking at the card that he was handed to him all those years ago. The card was a bit crumpled at the corners but otherwise remained intact. After Beck outed him as Spider-Man to the whole world, he was going on trial so he needed a lawyer he could trust, something he had a problem with lately. Should he trust them? If Daredevil did maybe he could too. Putting it in his pocket he exited his bedroom.

He went to the living room only to find May sorting through stacks of papers looking exhausted with dark circles under her eyes. A few moments later she noticed him and let out a deep sigh. 

“I am sorry honey all this paperwork is taking a toll on me and I can’t find someone to represent you in court without having to pay an arm and a leg.” she putted her hands on her face. She lost her job as her boss didn't want a nurse affiliated with a terrorist work at a hospital, so now they had money problems.

He had done this to her, with Happy in Washington for an assignment, his aunt had to pay for his mistakes alone. He couldn’t let her suffer. He took a seat next to her on the couch.

“No May, I am the one that put you in this mess.” suddenly he remembered the business card. 

“Hey about the lawyers, maybe these guys could help.” he told her showing her the card.

“Peter I don’t think we can afford the-” she didn’t get to finish as he interrupted 

“I know but I looked into them and they were the one’s that represented the Punisher and I doubt he was able to pay them.” everyone had seen the trial on the news, despite that more serious events have happened, most people still remembered the impact the Punisher had on New York. Now only God know whenever he is still alive or not. 

May let a sad smile to form on her face “I remember when that happened, the hospitals were flooded with gang members. It was a few months after...are you sure you want them to represent you?” she now had watery eyes trying her hardest to keep the tears from spilling. She was trying to be brave for him, it was time to do the same for her. 

“Yes I’m sure” and he gave her a hug. 


	2. Have we met before?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! 
> 
> Sorry for not uploading for a while, writing got hard during the holidays. 
> 
> A thing I should mention: 
> 
> I have no formal knowledge on how the justice system works, everything is from a brief internet research, so be aware of inaccuracies. 
> 
> Thanks for reading! 
> 
> -H

**19/7/2023**

**Hell’s Kitchen West 44** **th** **St.**

**15:48** **pm**

Peter and May were standing outside the office. He was wearing a baseball cap with the New York Mets logo on it to avoid people recognizing him and his aunt.

The sun was shinning brightly during the middle of the day with a lot of people walking in the busy streets. The last couple of hours were filled with May calling the FBI to grant them permission to visit the law firm. The fucking FBI! It seems that Spider-Man was considered public enemy number 1 by the government at the moment. 

Right after the release of the fake video the authorities showed up at his apartment to investigate him. Since it was either being arrested on the spot or pleading innocent and go on trial with the odds of ending up in prison either way. He chose the latter, as if he had a choice. It would be the trial of the decade, even bigger than the Punisher’s. Being a minor obviously didn’t count for anything if you are enhanced and considered a terrorist, so he agreed to be put under strict observation with a device attached on his right foot recording his every move until the trial which would determine whether he would spent the rest of his life in a prison or not. Nothing to be anxious about, right? 

Peter was hesitant to open the door. He was having second thoughts if he should trust them. They were considered the weird type of lawyers with a few successful cases, so that was a con. However they have represented some of the vigilantes that operated in New York before the snap meaning they had experience in dealing with people like him, so that was a pro. He spent a couple of minutes weighting the pros and cons until May decided to interrupt his train of thoughts. 

“You know I did some research myself and most of their cases didn't end well. If you have second thoughts we can always turn back and tell the police that we take the public defendant, the choice is yours.” she tried to reassure him, but he had already made up his mind. 

“No, lets do it.” he said as he knocked on the door and opened it. 

At the front desk of the office sat a blond woman. She greeted them and told them to take a seat after she shouted for a Matt and Foggy. Those were the names of the people he had to tell everything about himself. Maybe it was a bad idea to come here at all. He couldn’t trust a couple of strangers at the moment. Not after Beck made him believe they were friends, someone he trusted with his secret identity. Not after he betrayed him by turning the public and the press against him. Maybe he should leave but he was already there, no turning back now. 

A man with red tinted glasses and a walking stick exited the personal office on the left and entered the room after another more chubbier looking guy with light brown hair walked out of his own office. Peter realized the first one was blind, that didn’t surprise him as the card had braille on it. 

May stood up and shook hand with the blind man after he extended his hand first. 

“Thank you for meeting us without calling first Mr...” 

“Matt Murdock and these are is my partners Foggy Nelson and Karen Page. Don’t worry about coming uninvited, most of our clients do the same.” he said with a small smirk. His voice was familiar to Peter but he didn’t know where he heard it before. Matt went to continue but Foggy was first. “Since you already came could we get a name?” 

“Yes of course, May Parker and this is my nephew Peter. I don’t know if you have seen the news but-” 

“Wait, he’s Spider-Man? As in the guy accused of the London attack?” Karen interrupted abruptly and Peter flinched but she was quick to apologies. 

“I apologize, its just that are you sure our firm is best for-” 

“I don’t see why we shouldn’t represent Mr. Parker in court.” Matt said the same way he does every time his two partners aren’t sure whenever they should take a case. 

There was a brief silence until Foggy spoke “Mrs Parker if you don’t mind we need a few minutes to discuss with my partners about the whole situation.” 

“Oh, of course.” 

After the Karen closed the door behind in Matt’s office, Foggy was the first to speak first. But instead of scolding him he let a deep sigh. 

“I know he is a vigilantly like you, I understand that you want to help a kid. But I have read the accusations and we are not fit for an international trial no matter how good we are at the job.” 

Matt knew this would come after he heard the news from Karen two days ago. Its hard to miss one of New York's most famous heroes be held as a terrorist. For some reason he knew the kid he stopped from murdering someone all those years ago would use the card he gave him one day, even if he imagined it would be under different circumstances. So, after learning the news of his upcoming trial he started preparing for it. 

“The trial won’t be international. He is an US citizen and the US isn’t part of the ICC so it will be held here.” 

“Are you serious? We have already defended vigilantes before and look were that got us. We only got the office back because when half the population is whipped from existence, offices can be bought for _pennies_ and the only reason we are still afloat is because a lot people want to get legally their _homes_ back!” she almost started shouting at the end but managed to keep an almost calm tone. 

“Karen, I get it you are angry because me and Foggy continued our lives while you missed five years of it. But being angry at the world won’t help and you know it.” Matt tried to reassure her. 

He knew it was difficult for her. Everyone she cared for had moved on and there was no going back to things as before but she wasn’t the only one. Half the planet suffered the same way as her but that didn’t make things easier. 

Seeing her at the verge of tears Foggy decided to address the elephant in the room. 

“I don’t see why we shouldn’t take the case, but why did he come to us?” A small pause occurred before realization hit Foggy “Maaatt?” he looked at Matt with a demanding stare while putting his hand at Karen’s back to comfort her. 

“I might have met him before he became Spider-Man and gave him one of our business cards-” 

“Why did you have our firm’s cards on your superhero costume? And why were you giving them to strangers? Seriously, even I know that’s a bad idea.” Now that Karen had calmed down she also looked at Matt with her ‘Are you fucking serious’ face. 

“Its not a costume and it was freezing so I had my regular clothes underneath the suit with the cards there.” he tried to explain 

“Still, why did you give it to a random kid on the street? Is that how it goes now? Every time Daredevil saves someone he sends them to us to help with the legal work.” Foggy said with hint of disappointment in his voice.   
“You weren’t there, the kid was beating a man to death and I had to interfere. I gave him the card because it was obvious he didn’t know the extend of his powers and if he needed help understanding them maybe I could help, but he never used it until today.” he tried to defend himself and the kid but mostly himself. 

“Yeah, because how can two lawyers help when coming to superpowered teenagers and you should know-” 

“Are we taking the case or not?” Karen interrupted their little fight. He totally forgot about the people waiting outside for them. 

“...Foggy?” Matt asked waiting for his friend’s decision. 

“Alright but I don’t want it to turn out like it did with Castle.” 

“You have my promise.” 

“Yeah yeah, as if it counts for anything at this point.” he scoffed and they exited the room. 

As soon as he heard Spider-Man and his aunt got up from the old sofa that Foggy had found on sale three years ago, he asked the question that mattered most. 

“Do you believe you are innocent regarding the drone attack in London?” 

Straight to business.

“Wha-What?” he answered stuttering the word. 

“Are you innocent regarding the release of the drones?” he asked paraphrasing the question more seriously. 

“Yes.” he answered with sureness. 

He heard a shift in Spider-Man's heartbeat, when he entered the office even his breaths were showing how anxious he was let alone his heartbeat, now it had slowed down but it was still fast. The whole time it was steady. Fast but steady. He was telling the truth, so Matt announced their decision. 

“If that’s so,” he took step forward and extended his hand. 

“Mr. Parker we will be your defence attorneys during your trial.” 

“Thanks Mr. Murdock, uh, when should we come back?” Peter asked as he shook his hand with relief in his voice. 

“Tomorrow morning if that’s ok with your schedule.” he answered 

“Yeah I think that works, May?” he turned his head to meet his aunt eyes. 

“Sure, I will have to contact the police department that we found lawyers to defend you and update them on the schedule.” she said with a small smile forming on her face. 

“Ok, I will and call a taxi for us.” and he exited the office. 

May turned to face Matt and let out a deep sigh. 

“Thank you, it means a lot to him for someone to believe he’s innocent.” 

“Mrs. Parker, I advise you to be careful, many dangerous people might come after your nephew.” he warned her with a serious tone. May’s face was now full of worry. 

“I appreciate your concern Mr Murdock but we have it handled.” she turned and left. Maybe they had it handled but it never hurt to remind it.

As soon as the door closed behind them, Matt turned to Karen.

“Karen, if you can, pull up everything there is on Spider-Man." 

*******

**19/7/2023**

**Queens, Forest Hills**

**20:40pm**

The sun was setting when his phone ringed with MJ name on it. She would call him at least two times a day. She didn’t want to seem like an obsessed girlfriend but she was worried for him. 

When the video was released he looked at her and she nodded for him to go. The first thing he did was to hide the EDITH glasses with his red and black suit and the suit SHIELD gave him in a secure place in his room, meaning somewhere were a normal human couldn’t reach (the ceiling) before the police and FBI arrived and confiscated his other suits, the red and black suit he gave them was a spare one he had. When they asked were the glasses were, he told them that they were destroyed. A cheap answer but they bought it. A couple of hours later he called her first to explain that they couldn’t see each other since the FBI was also investigating her and Ned. In addition their calls were recorded so they could talk about anything related to Spider-Man. The story was that Ned didn’t know he was Spider-Man so he wasn’t questioned much. 

However MJ was seen with him swinging together making her seen an accomplice to his crimes, but they still had yet press her any charges. Happy also called saying that STARK industries couldn’t help since they had other problems to deal with which also concerned Happy. So it was just him and May. 

“MJ, hey-” 

“Is this Peter Parker?” asked a male rough voice. 

“Yes, is MJ there I need to speak with her-” 

“This is her father." her father? Shit, he thought it he was to meet MJ's parents it would be over a nice diner, not on the phone and certainly not when he was an accused murder. 

"She is in a tough spot right now because of _you_." he hated him. He didn't say it out loud, it was too obvious.

"The FBI is at _my_ house and she is stressed out and worried about someone who put _her_ in danger. I am going to say this once and only once: You stay away from my daughter and don’t even think of calling her or answer her calls. Do you understand?” he said with venom in his voice. 

He was going to refuse. He loved MJ but was she safe with him? The drones almost got her killed and that was because him. 

He took a framed photo of himself with Ned and MJ that they took on Coney island the day before his identity was revealed. He looked at it for a few moments before he answered. 

“Yes Mr. Jones...I understand.” he hung up. 

It was best for all of them. 

He glanced at his ankle monitor, the blue light it emitted mocking him in his face knowing that he couldn’t go by his girlfriends house without alerting the police. 

“Peter, diner’s ready and this time it isn’t burned.” May shouted from the kitchen. 

“Coming in a minute.” he putted the photo down looking it one last time with sadness and guilt written all over his face before he went to the kitchen. 

As he helped her set the table in on the small ding table they had that was behind the couch in the living room the small TV they had was broadcasting the news. He didn’t pay much attention until he heard his name. 

“-now regarding Spider-Man's identity reveal was broadcasted through the Daily Bugle’s news website, violent riots have occurred all over the US. More information about the Drone attack, as it’s being referred, has Amy Springer” The TV now showed a redhead woman standing next to 73rd Avenue, which was crowded with people holding signs and shouting angrily at no one in particular. 

“Thank you Linda. Ever since Spider-Man was revealed to be Midtown’s student Peter Parker, responsible for the drone attack in London resulting in seventeen deaths including the new hero Mysterio, riots have been going on demanding that all enhanced, mutant and inhuman individuals be arrested and restrained. There have always been small demonstrations against them, however there has been an increase in them the last couple of days. It is believed that it is due to the fact that a well-beloved hero amongst the residents of Queens, New York going by the name Spider-Man turned against human lives, with the majority referring him as a terrorist. Peter Parker is facing a trial in three days while people are demanding for him to be immediately detained and some of them are even asking for his death.

“Authorities have informed us that Spider-Man would have been held in a jail cell, but due to his known superhuman and unstable nature, he will be in house arrest until the Vault is contruct-” The screen suddenly went black. He looked behind him and saw May putting down the TV remote. 

“Don’t listen to them Peter they are just scared.” 

“Yeah, scared of me” He went back in making the table. 

“So did MJ call you today like usual?” She asked with a small smile trying to change the topic. Peter lifted up his head and looked May in the eyes. He felt guilt suddenly wash over him at the sudden mention of her name. He didn’t want to let his emotions take over but he knew he couldn’t hide them form long. 

“Her father won’t let me speak to her. Its my fault May, I could have told her to stay out of this but I didn’t and she’s in trouble and-and I don’t know if I am going to see her again and I can’t speak to Ned either because I don’t want to put him in danger too!” A cracking was heard and he looked down at the plate in his hands or at whatever was left of it. He was ready to cry but he was too angry to do so. 

“I-I am sorry I-I didn’t mean to-” 

“Its okay Peter.” she reassured him with sadness in her voice as she took the plate pieces out of his hands. 

“You are angry right now at the situation and that’s normal. You feel like everything is your fault because everyone thinks you are the bad guy. It might be rough now since it looks as if everybody is against you but they don’t know you and how much of a great person you are.” She handed him another plate for him to put on the table but he stayed there. 

“So I'm asking you to promise me to not care if people think you won’t make it through the trial because you will prove them right only if you believe them too.” She saw his hesitation and spoke up again. 

“Peter, please promise me that you won’t forget that you are a good person because I know you are.” 

“I promise May.” he said almost whispering but May heard him and nodded with a small smile forming on her lips. 

“He wouldn’t want you to forget that either.” Peter knew who she was referring to as he placed the plate. 

“I know that he wouldn’t.” 


	3. The legal action

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! 
> 
> Welcome back to another chapter! Just so to be clear, I made a brief research in law enforcement in the US and honestly its confusing. I'm warning you REALLY inaccurate depictions of law.

Peter was swinging through the streets of Queens looking for criminal activity or just someone that needed his help, the moon was full and bright that night, however the city’s lights dimed the moon’s so much that if you weren’t on a rooftop you wouldn’t even notice it. While New York is known as the city that never sleeps, tonight was oddly quiet. 

It wasn’t a bad thing, but if you spent half the night sleepless concerned about people’s safety and it turns out no one needs your help, well its safe to say you can feel a bit disappointed. 

“Help!” 

Scratch that, someone always needs help. 

He followed the female voice and ended up in an alley with the woman in need screaming for help while a man tried to take the purse from her. 

“For real?” he took a step forward. 

“That’s like the most _cliché_ thing a mugger could do.” he took another step and let out a web, pinning the mugger to the opposite wall. 

Peter went to help the woman that had fallen down with the purse laying near them. He extended his hand for the lady to take it. 

“Miss, are you alright should I call the poli-” the woman in need lifted her head revealing her familiar face. 

“MJ?” 

“Hey Tiger.” she smiled to him. What the hell was she doing here? They had a chemistry test the next day, she wasn’t supposed to be home studying. Something that he should also do, but let’s not get technical. Wait, since when did MJ own a purse? 

Before he could voice his questions a gunshot was herd. He turned around to see the mugger with a gun in his hands. Wait, how did he get out of the webs? It didn’t matter, what mattered is who was shot. 

He didn’t feel any pain and there wasn’t anyone else here except for- 

He looked back and saw his girlfriend hang her hands out full of blood while the shirt she was wearing had a red spot on it that grew in size by the second. 

“MJ!” he managed to catch her as she fell backwards. 

“No no no no no. This can’t be happening, MJ please stay with me.” he took off his mask. 

His suit was now starting to soak from her blood. Tears streamed down his cheeks but he didn’t care. MJ was dying in an alley by a bullet wound. 

Almost exactly like- 

“Peter...” she whispered his name looking at him straight in the eyes, moving her hands from her stomach to his face stroking her thumb gently trying to clean up his tears only to leave a blood trail instead. 

The next words hurt more than any punch he had ever taken in his life. 

“...why did you let me die.” her eyes rolled back and her heartbeat faded away. 

“No! MJ!” 

She disappeared like everything else into green smoke. 

He made a 360 degrees turn trying to figure out what the hell was going on until his eyes fell into the man that killed the girl he loved. 

“You!” he said with his voice full of anger. Peter stood up from were he was. His red and black suit now stained with the red liquid along with a small part of his cheek. 

He took the mugger by his jacket and pulled him up to see his face better. 

Quentin Beck was looking right back at him with an evil smirk. 

Peter stepped back shocked. Eyes wide failing to hide his emotions. 

“You-you are dead. I saw you die.” 

Beck started walking towards him with his Mysterio costume forming around him. 

“Peter Peter Peter, you really thought I died that day?” Everything around him started forming back into the alley with MJ lying dead with a pool of blood around her. 

“I am the master of illusions! Everything you see, everything you believe, is _fake_!” Peter shot a web at his helmet, Hitting the target he pulled the fishbowl into his fist breaking the glass into pieces making Mysterio fall to his back. 

“This time it won’t work Beck!” 

“You can’t trust anyone Peter and you know it.” that was the ambiguous reply he got. It was supposed to be one of the bullshit sappy villain quotes, but it actually affected him for some reason. 

Peter looked down at Mysterio. The helmet’s glass spread all over the ground. Giving his face a closer look he found his aunt starring back at him. 

“May!” he crunched besides her regretting the blow he sent to her face. 

“You failed to save me like you failed everyone else.” she said before going limp. 

He felt Beck coming behind him but he couldn’t do anything but watch his aunt's dead body. 

“You really think you can just _save_ the day and go home like nothing happened ?” he scoffed “Everyone has to suffer because of your mistakes, MJ, May even _Stark_ couldn’t save themselves from you and that’s just the one’s after you put on the silly mask." 

“I am going to kill you for this!” he went to throw a punch but nothing was there. A laughter echoed throughout the alley as it reappeared out of nowhere. 

The ground suddenly vanished, with only darkness filing it as he fell through it. After falling for a couple of seconds, he splashed into something that wasn’t water. His nose was filled with a metallic scent and his mouth tasted the same. 

It was blood. 

He was drowning trying to stay afloat but he just couldn’t get his limps to work. 

As his hand was the last one to go under the blood all that could be heard was the sound of Beck's laughter. 

*******

**20/7/2023**

**Queens, Forest Hills**

**???**

“No!” Peter screamed as he woke up from another nightmare. Ever since Beck showed him all those illusions in the warehouse, he couldn’t find himself to sleep. Giving a glance at the alarm clock standing on the small table besides the bed while panting it read five in the morning. Too early to be awake but too late to go back to sleep. Unable to control his panic he got out of bed and headed to May’s room. 

The moonlight was illuminating the small apartment as he slowly made his way through the narrow corridor avoiding all the creaky floorboards. 

Standing outside the door, he opened it slowly with a small creak to see May sleeping safe and sound oblivious to Peter’s presence. She must be sleeping really heavy if she hadn’t heard him scream. It was a thing to be grateful for, as he didn’t want to worry her more than she already was. 

After making sure she was okay he went back to his room debating the question he had since the first time he woke up from the same nightmare. 

Did Mysterio actually die? 

*******

**20/7/2023**

**Hell’s Kitchen West 44** **th** **St.**

**11:15** **am**

“So, as I have been told the footage shows that you were the one to execute the drones?” Matt sat back at his chair in front of Peter with only the table between them. 

“Yes, but as I said before the whole scene was faked by Quentin Beck.” Peter replied. 

“Isn’t there any way to prove the video was made with a computer or something?” He questioned. 

Since 10am Peter had been explaining to Matt what happened in Europe, how Tony Stark gave him EDITH, how he handed them over to Beck, how he turned out to be Houdini with evil intentions. Even if he didn't want to disclose the events in Europe that left him sleepless the days after, having attorney-client privilege can be really helpful when avoiding answering to the federal government. 

“I examined the footage myself, it was generated by the drones and filmed. It can’t be proven that it was fake unless you test it from a software that isn’t available to the public or if you actually catch one of the members that helped in creating the illusions.” Peter shrugged even if Matt couldn’t see it. 

“And you didn’t deny being Spider-Man, DNA tests can be a real pain in the ass sometimes.” Matt continued and Peter smirked a bit. “Is there any way to find these guys?” he asked. 

“I have some names that EDITH recorded. Checked it last night.” he answered before realizing what he said. “Don’t tell anyone I have still the glasses, can’t trust anyone to have them.” Peter frowned. “Do you have a pen?” 

Matt handed him a pen and ripped a page from a notebook he kept it his drawer. “Attorney-client privilege, remember?” he reassured. 

Peter nodded as he accepted the paper and clicked the back of the pen. As he was writing down the names a knock was heard before Karen entered the office. 

“Here are the documents you asked.” she handed him some papers with braille on them, She turned her attention their client.

“Good morning Peter, your aunt didn’t come today?” she asked with a friendly smile unlike the sad expression she had with Matt. 

“Oh, she was called at the police station, they didn’t gave details.” 

“And they let you out alone?” 

“Nope.” he said popping the p. “An officer is waiting downstairs besides...” he lifted his jeans to reveal a device around his ankle. 

“I’m monitored 24/7.” 

She looked at Matt worried. “Alright then, Foggy is meeting with the DA and the barrister.” 

“The barrister?” Matt asked surprised. 

“Yes, Foggy thinks the trial will be taken to the supreme court.” 

“Shit.” Matt courses under his breath. 

“That’s a bad thing, isn’t it?” Peter asks. 

“It brings too much publicity making it difficult for us to do our own investigation.” Matt explained. 

“Then we should start before it becomes official Matt, try to be more positive, could you?” she told him with a harsh tone before giving a last glance at Matt as she exited the room, her heels clicking over the wooden floor at all times.

“Finished the list. The paper is in front of you, I could read it to you since you know eh-never mind.” the teenager informed him with a stutter on the mention of his blindness. There was an awkward silence in the office before Peter decided to break it. “You two have history.” 

It wasn’t a question, it was an observation. One that even a blind man could make. He should probably give him an answer before he draws his own conclusions, the lawyer thought. 

“She was dusted I was not. I moved on with my life while she was left behind.” he tried to lie to Peter with a steady voice. It was partly true, however that wasn’t the reason she was mad with him. 

“And I thought it had to do with Daredevil.” Peter said that as though it was just a simple sentence. 

WHAT?! 

How did he know? Did he recognized him from their first interaction? But that was _years_ ago. His hesitation to answer would only confirm the statement. Ok, don’t panic, it has happened before. Play it cool Matt, play it cool like you always do and think of a damn answer. The last bit was heard in Stick’s voice, but it still helped him concentrate on the present. 

Trying to stay calm he decided to play it dump. “How does Daredevil has to do with-” 

“I heard you yesterday, I know I shouldn’t eardrop but...” he pointed at his ears. “...enhanced hearing and all. Makes it hard to not hear you, also the walls are thin, so there’s that” he explained with some confidence. 

Ok... he underestimated his abilities. They obviously weren’t just strength and webs after all, maybe they were similar to his on some level. 

“Huh, so, lawyer by day hero by night?” the question was ironic considering they were both in the superhero business. 

He put on a serious tone. “Not a hero.” Why did he say that? 

Peter scoffed. “Then a vigilante or a menace like Jameson calls me?” 

He was going to answer vigilante if he didn't knew that he would be kidding himself. But he did know that, so why not be honest for once.

“I just beat up people that deserve it.” 

Peter frowned. “I have noticed that.” 

Matt looked at his direction questionably. “What’s that supposed to mean?” 

“I did some research on you, well your alter ego to be specific.” It was true. When a guy that dresses up like a devil approaches you, you google him. There weren’t many results but what he found was enough to understand that you shouldn’t mess with him, if the pictures of people laying on hospital beds with a feeding tube stuck in their mouths was anything to go by. 

“You hurt others, deserving it not, putting them into a coma for several weeks is not exactly right." There was some hesitation, like he wasn't sure if he should continue, ultimately he decided to do so.

"But that's nothing new about you." Matt would have said something about it, however he wanted to see where this was going. 

“After the...blip I went out as Spider-Man for the first time in five years, there were gangs and thieves to stop like always. Problem was that most of these guys when they saw me they started to beg me for mercy. I was confused until one of them told me they were scared of the devil and I wore red like him. It wasn’t difficult to piece things together after that. These people had come from Hell’s Kitchen after almost being beaten up to death from you, did you know some of their friends didn’t survive in the hospital?” 

if Peter though this was the first time he heard that, he was wrong. “I haven’t killed anyone."

“Not straight away. You still are responsible for their deaths. From everything I have read about you, no one has witnessed Daredevil killing, but medical records pinpoint that over the years the injuries the victim’s acquired by you got more severe and the last year most of them were fatal.” 

Matt took the notebook page, folding it carefully before placing it in his pocket. Still keeping it calm even if internally he was panicking. “Your point?” he asked in a criticizing manner. 

“Five years ago you were labeled as a hero, a protector, the newspaper referred you as a guardian angel disguised as a devil. Now every time the news talk about you is when they explain why there is blood on the streets." Peter breathed, his heartbeat was getting faster and faster. "My point is that I need to know what changed!” the last part was said as if he demanded the answer. Hearing that, Matt decided to turn the tables. 

“You _n_ _eed_ to know?” the word need was emphasized purposely making Peter’s heartbeat to go faster and Matt heard it. 

Peter looked down at his lap, unable to answer the question. Matt understood him, every day he asks the same question to himself and that’s when he is a full-grown ass adult, a sixteen-year old shouldn’t have that debate. 

Letting a deep sigh escape his lips, Matt took off his glasses, eyes looking nowhere in particular. “I remember when it was just a normal day.” Peter looked up confused but didn’t interrupt him from speaking. “Well, aliens where invading ,but that wasn’t the first time and most of the danger was outside of Hell’s Kitchen. So, yeah a pretty normal day.” the teen furrowed his brows realizing were this was going. 

“Until I heard the sudden screams, heartbeats fading away. It was scary to not be able to see what was going on while people were suddenly disappearing, so the first thing I did was call Karen to check if she was still alive. She never answered. It was difficult to adjust in a life without her. Ever since we met she had been changing my life almost every day for the better...or at least she tried to. Five years later I wasn’t the same man anymore, the city I protect every night wasn’t the same. It was difficult but I made it. After she came back I thought things would go back to were they were but they didn’t. I tried to be the same person as before for her but she noticed the change.” he sat forward placing his elbows on the desk with his head resting on his hands. 

“Peter, I have morals, at least that’s what I say to myself every day. And every day they get more blurry. Call me a hypocrite, it doesn’t matter anymore. I should have stopped a long time ago but its like I am addicted to it, its not healthy for anyone but somehow I live with that, even if I hate myself for it. You have to understand that being out there changes you. It may not be obvious at first but give it some years and you will find yourself asking how did you get there in the first place.” 

Matt’s schedule for today was open the office early, attend the scheduled meeting he had with Peter Parker, go home, eat, beat up some thugs and then clean all the blood from his suit. Not to have a heart to heart conversation with Spider-Man, but since when things went according to plan? Probably never, now and in the future. 

“Only if I don’t end up in prison you know.” 

Matt was surprised at the reply he got, but didn’t dwell on it. “Don’t worry, you are innocent, as long as we get proof of that the only downside will be living with the fame, trust me on that.” he took his red glasses to wear them. 

“Last time I did that people died.” 

Matt glanced his way “Well, as a lawyer it’s my job to reassure my clients.” 

“Thanks for the reassurances Mr. Murdock.” Peter said mockingly. 

“Your welcome.” 

Suddenly multiple heavy steps went through the whole building. Matt tilted his head to listen better. Peter looked confused for a moment until he heard it too. As soon as they exited Matt’s office, the firm’s door burst open and multiple agents with weapons entered pointing all of their guns at Peter. 

“Wha-what?” 

“Peter Parker on your knees!” one of them ordered. Peter kneeled slowly, putting his hands behind his head. He didn’t need to be in more trouble than he already was. 

“You’re under arrest, everything you say will be held and used against you in court.” explained the same agent as before. As they put on his hands some type of reinforced handcuffs, Matt took a step forward until they shouted at him to stay back. He listened but still went to speak. 

“Why are you arresting him? He already is to attend court and has an ankle monitor.” he told them, raising his voice to be herd. As they were taking Peter out of the building he looked at Matt one last time, his eyes expressing his worry. Matt might not have seen them, but the teen’s heartbeat betrayed him. 

“If you have questions contact the administration.” the head agent told him before following the others. 

Matt just stood there contemplating about what the hell just happened before he took his phone out to dial a phone number. After the second beep the person on the other side answered. 

“Matt, Foggy just told me the trial will be-” 

“Karen, we got a situation.” 

*******

While siting inside the windowless van between two bulky-looking guys, their rifles ready for use, Peter tried hear the female voice on the radio that the driver in front was listening to. The van might have been reinforced, but it wasn’t soundproof even if he was the only one to be able to listen to it. 

“-terday a prisoner named MacDonald Gargan, escaped Ryker’s Detention Facility with all digital evidence wiped clean from the prison’s database-” 

Also, to comment on Matt’s words, he might have been the first to play superhero in the streets but that didn’t make him the all so wise old man. Nevertheless, he can’t deny there is some truth in his words. 

Should he be afraid of himself? Everyone else seemed to do it for him, but listening to them was something he promised May he wouldn’t do. 

May would also say that the deaths in London weren’t his fault. No matter how much he wanted to believe that, it simply wasn’t true and he had accepted that as a fact since he heard the number of casualties. 

“-Mac Gargan was sent to prison after he and his associates were accused of running a weapon trafficking ring in Queens-” 

It _is_ his fault. He was then one that gave Quentin Beck the EDITH glasses. Willingly. It’s no one else’s fault but his. He was the one that got people killed, Mysterio was just the executer and he was the one that gave the order. Even if he didn’t mean to. But didn’t Matt say that he would ask one day how did he got there in the first place? 

“-The ring was busted by Spider-Man, also known as Peter Parker, during the ferry incident in 2016. Ironically, Spider-Man was also the one responsible for causing the ferry to split in half, adding more crimes at his already heavy list of accusations-” 

Was it even right to call himself a hero? He seems to cause more pain than actually help people. Was he just denying the truth? That Daredevil wasn’t the only one that just hurts others because he could? 

“-The head of the Daily Bugle news website, J. Jonah Jameson, took a stance as to be extremely against Spider-Man, having the vast majority of NY residents on his side, referring to him as a menace while praising the now deceased hero, Mysterio, whose real name hasn’t yet been disclosed to the public-” 

Every time he sees the news there are people that call him a terrorist, a fraud, someone who played the hero and that he will get what he deserved. If the whole world tells you something, shouldn’t you listen? Perhaps May, MJ and Ned thought the same but were just sorry for him to tell him the truth. 

“In other news, the Superhuman Registration Act, also known as the Sokovia Accords, are currently in discussion to be brought back as they were repealed in 2020. There have also been rumors about the construction of a new maximum prison facility specifically designed for enhanced individuals, called the Vaul-” 

The driver in front turned off the radio. “News. My grandma's funeral was less depressing than what they say on the media these days.” Then he heard a scoff, probably from another agent sitting in front. 

Peter just sat there in silence down at his cuffs, they seemed to have technology in them but they didn’t repress his powers, maybe they were just there to restrict his hands movement like regular cuffs did. The weren’t vibranium, that was for sure. Feeling bored he did the one thing he shouldn’t do. He talked. 

“Hey, do you know if my aunt is-” he didn’t get to finish before one of the agents hit him with the back of his gun leaving a bruise to form on his forehead. 

“You don’t get to speak, freak.” he told him harshly. No one in the van seemed to be bothered. Well, that bothered him. 

“You were very lucky that only the FBI took notice of the situation abroad. Those suckers became mall cops after the snap.” that actually explained a lot, Peter thought. I mean, he expected to have been immediately detained and prosecuted. But why only now the serious authorities decided to take action? 

Out of all the unanswered questions he had in his mind, the most agonizing one was if his aunt was safe. 


	4. New prison, same old me

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: Spoilers for Daredevil season 3

**20/7/2023**

**Upper East Side, Manhattan NYC**

**2** **2:01** **pm**

Karen was standing outside the Morahan’s bar holding the paper Peter wrote which had most names of the people that were affiliated with Quentin Beck in creating the illusions. She looked up, at the building’s roof to see Matt wearing his Daredevil costume looking her way. After Matt explained to both her and Foggy why their firm’s door was half broken, they began investigating the people on the list. There were only five names, but better than nothing. When they tracked down two of them to this bar Matt insisted that he watched after her, or more like over her, just in case while Foggy went to the administration for answers. 

After Matt made some valid points, God she hated of how persisting he can be, she ultimately agreed for him to come along. However, he would stand outside the bar and listen through the walls, yep, totally not creepy when you say it out loud. 

At least he was trying to build up the relationship they used to have, the friendly one obviously. There was almost zero chance of them to dating again but at least they could try and be friends, unlike the unspoken “just an associate from work” that was their current label for each other. She was grateful that he let her take it slowly, although he was trying too hard. Yeah, she was also acting like a real bitch around him but at least she wasn’t on an indirect killing spree. She might be hypocritical right now with two death counts on her conscience, criticizing Matt for his actions, however they were both somewhat like accidents and she was trying to be better than who she really was. 

When she came back to life her first thought was about Matt. He was part of her life now and it was her choice to stay in his crazy life. Their first meeting after five whole years was both awkward and emotional for the three of them, with the two men in the group obviously hiding something from her. Matt didn’t give her any answers so, she confronted Foggy. 

That’s when she learned how much she actually missed. Not the five new seasons of her favourite show, neither five anniversaries of her brother’s death. But the fact that the old Matt was gone, in place there was an isolated lawyer who was only focused on his alter ego and keeping his job. He barely talked to Foggy, only when needed, and had been avoiding her like the plague until a couple of months ago. 

Now he was a bit more bearable. He was somehow trying to restore the friendship they had, he even asked her and Foggy for drinks. She had to take a rain check; her life was a mess now that she had lost her home. Real estate prices skyrocketed after the blip and was now living in a tiny apartment. Although, things were getting back to where they were. 

Slowly but surely. That’s what mattered in the end. 

She glanced one last time at the names: _Daniel_ _Berkhart_ and _Francis Klum_. Those two used to work at S.I. before they were laid off because of the risky procedures they used in their inventions. One of them was caught using magic to create teleportation. You the hell uses magic in a company specializing in technological equipment? Pocketing the names in her handbag, she went inside the bar. 

The place was half full, it wasn’t difficult to spot them siting near the bar so, she sat next to them. Ordering her drink one of them, Klum, noticed her and turned to whisper something to Berkhart. Her guess was that it was something about her looks, like it usually was when you are a woman, and was proven right. 

“Hey babe, whanna buy ya a drink?” keeping herself from punching Klum for the comment took all her willpower. No wonder why he was fired. He was acting like a creep with his friend also proving to be one. 

“Yeah, why a pretty bitch like you come to a place like this if it isn’t for free drinks and-” 

“Quentin Beck, you know him?” she asked abruptly. Now they backed off, their faces clearly showing the surprise she was expecting to instil. Part of her was glad that Matt was upstairs listening to everything and still let her deal with them herself. He was now trusting her more and it showed. 

“Wha-what? Who? You mean Mysterio?” Berkhart just confirmed her suspicions. It was too easy. 

“Interesting, I don’t remember Mysterio’s name being released to the public.” she narrowed her eyes. 

Klum slammed the back of his friend’s head. “You idiot. We weren't supposed to-” he muttered before stopping mid-sentence as he realized what he said. 

“So, boys I got some questions for you, are you going to answer?” she scoffed, but then the two men nodded at each other and sat up from their seats after one of them gave a twenty-dollar bill to the bartender and told her to keep the change. As they exited the bar Klum turned to face her. 

“I ain’t answering no questions.” he was serious now. She knew she would regret it, but she followed them outside and entered the small alley next to the bar. She hoped Matt heard the whole thing and was now waiting for the right moment. 

After walking down into the darkness of the alley the two men stopped and Klum took out a small knife to threaten her. 

“Listen lady, Daniel and I don’t want any trouble, but if you keep following us well...” he lifted the knife to his eye level. “...you won’t be pretty for long.” 

“A kid is going to prison because your boss decided to play it hero. Do you want that on your conscience?” 

“Done worse.” was the last thing he said before he and Berkhart went to attack her. 

They didn’t get two feet from her when a dark red figure jumped down from the fire escape and kicked the two of them down to the ground. Before any of them could stand up Daredevil took Berkhart by his jacket and pinned him to the wall. 

“What the fuck-” 

“She has some questions, she asks you answer. Nod if you understand.” he had his harsh interrogative voice. Berkhart nodded quickly and Matt shoved him towards Karen. When Klum tried to escape Matt noticed it and knocked him unconscious. Karen looked at the unconscious man then at Matt disappointed and the back at Berkhart. Lets get this done, she would talk about his ruthless antics later. 

“Okay. From the stuff I gathered is that you have worked in the same department with Quentin Beck, am I right?” 

“You a reporter or somethin’?” he asked, as he said that Matt turned him around to meet his eyes. He punched him in the nose before he spoke. 

“You just answer.” and turned him back to face Karen. 

“Alright, alright. I did!” he finally confessed. 

“This dude’s crazy.” he muttered with his now broken nose dripping blood. Matt obviously heard him but didn’t do anything about it. Maybe he realized he was taking it too far. 

“I also know that weeks before the incident in Europe you disappeared. Care to explain?” 

Berkhart was nervous until he straightened his back to look more put together. He seemed more confident however, his heart beat fast from the fear not from lying. He would tell the truth. 

“I-I was invited to this shitty get together by the guy you asked about. I didn’t wanna go ya know, felt like it would end bad. But I went anyways. He-he had this big fucking plan that he wanted us to help him with. The revenge on the Tony Stark dude, it sounded crazy. I mean how do you take revenge on a dead guy? I didn’t exactly hate the guy, we hadn’t even met. And the whole interdimensional-warrior sounded like it came from an Independence Day’s movie or somethin’. I could bet on my grandma’s teeth it wouldn’t go through. Ya know how surprised I was when people actually bought it? Like man, it was crazy. Then it got serious when people died. The fun was over and when I heard the boss also died, I took the next flight back to good ol’ York.” 

“What about the others in the crew?” Karen asked.

“Last I heard of them, everyone disappeared. Like out of NY, maybe even the US, can’t help you there lady.” he covered his broken nose with his hand, hissing as he did so. 

“Then you can give a testimony.”

“Ya crazy?! I snitched already enough, I can’t go to the police. People died in the attacks. Next thing you know I will be in prison for murder.” 

She glanced behind him to see Matt thinking about something, then he nodded to Karen indicating they needed to talk. 

“You stay here, if you leave-” 

“Yeah, yeah I know, man.” he stayed there. 

He directed his attention back to Karen. 

“Well, he won’t testify and we can’t make him,” she spoke first. 

“I can make him.” 

“No, Matt,” she whispered his name. “you won’t. He’s not some crook you can beat up without reason. We need for him to go by himself or the testify won’t count. If he confesses that Daredevil made him to testify in Spider-Man's defence it will make him look even more guilty.” 

That made sense. If Berkhart appeared bruised in court and told them it was because of a vigilante, it would seem like Peter was the one behind this making his case even more difficult. No, the only choice is if they convinced Berkhard or/and Klum verbally to give a testimony. Lucky for him, the one thing he’s good at is convincing others with words. 

So he turned his gaze to the man that while waiting lit a cigar and was now smoking while looking at Klum, who was slowly gaining consciousness. 

“Then I will have to make them an offer they can’t refuse.” he started waking towards them. 

“What are you doing?” Karen asked from behind him, but Matt ignored her. 

“You both have lawsuits for petty theft and destruction of public property.” 

While Berkhart was listening, his friend, who was leaning on the wall for support, decided to play it smart ass. 

“Someone knows some fancy words.” 

That earned him a black eye. Klum then went to escape and got a punch in the stomach. 

Karen who was watching the scene, intervened. Now wasn’t the time for him to lose his cool playing it angry devil, they had a job to do. 

“Hey, we can’t have him in a hospital.” she went to stand beside him. She was right, Matt thought. He already gave the guy a mark that would stay there for at least a week, totally forgetting that he should have avoided that. 

“You also don’t have the recourses to get good lawyers,” he continued as if the last twenty seconds didn’t happen. “I can get you two good lawyers if you appear in court and give a testimony against your former boss, or you will have to pay the five thousand dollars bail. Your choice.” 

Klum was still on the ground breathing heavily. “Are you fucking kidding me! I ain’t in need of ya help, Dan, ya comin’?” he got up and was ready to leave since Daredevil didn’t go to stop him. 

Berkhart seemed to consider the proposition before answering. “You can do whatever you want man, I can’t afford the bail,” he turned his head to look at the devil “but I also want this lawyers you are talkin’ about in case they arrest me for murder.” 

“Of course,” Matt promised. “The firm is Nelson, Murdock and Page. Go there tomorrow and tell them I sent you, they will know what to do.” 

After the two men left the alley Karen also went to go home. 

“Were are you going?” 

“Home.” home? It was dark and they weren't exactly in the most safe neighbourhood. When someone walks alone on those streets, best case scenario was getting only mugged. 

“I will call you a cab.” he insisted. At least this way it was safer. 

“I can do that myself,” 

“Karen I-” 

She pointed her finger at his chest, Matt didn’t need vision to know that she looked angry. 

“It’s already bad that you go out as if you are hunting down animals instead of protecting the city, but no, you had to bring your almost-like bloodlust into the one thing that needed only intimidation, not a full-blown boxing match! You need to control your violent self because it’s starting to control you!” 

They both just stared at each other in what felt like hours until Karen made the first move and left. He followed her all the way to her apartment to make sure she went home safe. He tried to not be seen even if it was obvious to her that he was there. 

Is it ironic if her words were already present in his mind since the day she died, or was it poetic? 

*******

**20/7/2023**

**Ryker’s Island Maximum**

**Security** **Penitentiary**

**18:56** **pm**

“Is that Spider-Man?” 

“He looks young.” 

“Yo freak! You’re the fucking reason I’m here!” 

“I heard he’s here for killing a bunch of people in London.” 

“When I get my hands on you-” 

“You’re fucking dead! You hear me! Dead!” 

“Everyone shut the fuck up!” the head guard yelled at everyone. 

You know the feeling when it is the first day of school and everyone already hates you? Yeah the one were the popular kid threatens to destroy you. The difference is that here, they want to literally fucking tear you apart and feed you to the dogs. What would he give now to be back in school and get bullied by Flash Thompson. 

It’s the little things that count. Like a normal life even if it was too much to ask at the moment, but one could only hope. 

It had been a long day. First traveling by van surrounded by men in Kevlar up until the port and then by helicopter to the island. He changed into a white prison uniform which wrote “Cellar” in the back. He had heard that “Empire Unlimited” bought the prison a while back in order to make some changes. Like the name, even if most people still called it Ryker’s, they also built a super-max sector which from what he could guess was where he was headed right now. But heading to one of the most best-guarded cells in the facility wasn’t what scared him most. 

One third of the prisoners were sent here because of him. Because Spider-Man just couldn’t let them be. Was this how karma worked? Perhaps it was because he was responsible for killing those people at he London bridge, or because he just didn’t deserve a happy life. Either way, here he was, among men that wanted his head for destroying their lives. 

While walking down the aisle the inmates started shouting like animals, threatening him, his family or just screaming for no reason. At one point he thought he saw someone familiar but didn’t give it much though as one of the eight guards that were escorting him pushed him to move faster. 

When they finally arrived at the call he would be staying at the first thing he noticed was the lack of windows. From the cheesy cop shows he used to watch with May, there were always some kind of windows that showed the outside world. 

The guards took off his bulky handcuffs and threw him inside. He stumbled the first two steps inside but he managed to catch himself from falling. Well, at least they also took off the itchy monitor from his ankle. 

After examining his now free hand, Peter took notice of the stuff inside his new cell. A bed, a toilet and a small table. Without a single window. He really loved windows. They gave the chance to see the blue sky, the people going by their busy day, a way of going out as Spider-Man without being noticed or May would freak out if- 

What was he thinking? May already knew he was Spider-Man even if at first she didn’t approve, after a while she realized that she just had to accept that her only family left just risked their lives every day. May! Where was she now? Last time he saw her was before she left to go to the police station for something. Would they arrest her too? After all she could be held as an accomplice to his “crimes” as a vigilante. He had to see her, he had to make sure she was okay. 

But none of the guards would answer his questions. He was trapped inside a fucking prison where most of the people here had a personal vendetta against him. Even some of the guards seemed to hate him. For all they knew he was a terrorist, a murderer. 

The worst part was that he felt like that himself. 

He wasn’t a hero. He was just a kid that pretended to be one and when things went to shit he just wasn’t good enough and others had to pay. Some of them even paid with their lives. 

He was just as guilty as Mysterio if not even more than him. 

He was an idiot for trusting other. Lesson learned, never trust anyone you just met and give them militarized weapons of mass destruction. 

Maybe he should tell Matt that he wasn’t worth it. Matt told him as long he believed that he was innocent he would be his defence-attorney. He didn’t believe that anymore so, no more defence-attorney for him. 

Peter laid in his bed, which by the way was hard as a rock, he just thought how much better the place would be if he just had a small window. 

*******

**20/7/2023**

**Somewhere in NYC**

**23:45pm**

“You were informed of the risks this procedure may have, yes?” asked a man with a lab coat. 

“Yeah, yeah. Just give me the fucking armour I was promised by your boss.” 

The doctor tightened the bands that were around the patient’s arms. The only light in the lab was from the computer screens and the one's the machines that surrounded them had.

“This armour will engage with your neurons and might cause permanent damage to the brain. Are positive that you are ready for this?” the doctor asked for the last time.

“If I have a chance in squashing that fucking bug that made my life hell, then yes doc, I'm ready.” 

“Alright then Mr. Gargan, sit tight and try to relax, because it _will_ be painful.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fun facts:  
> 1.Daniel Berkhart and Francis Klum have also took the mantle of Mysterio in the comics.  
> 2.Morahan's bar is and actual bar in the Marvel Comics.


	5. Welcome to hell, kid

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Reminder: just because I watched Orange is the new Black doesn't make me an expert in how prisons operate.  
> In other news: I changed a couple of minor things in the previous chapters. (Is it normal to cringe while you read the stuff you wrote from some weeks ago?) Nothing major regarding the plot, just some grammar mistakes and better dialogue.

**21/7/2023**

**Ryker’s Island Maximum**

**Security Penitentiary**

**06:00am**

The alarm sound came blazingly. Peter fell from his uncomfortable bed, groaning as he stood on his feet. God, his back hurt, it was as if he slept on stone. A really, really hard stone. 

He couldn’t tell exactly what time it was, probably early in the morning. Without a window it was hard to tell. 

After a while a guard came to his cell banging the baton at the door telling him to go to the door. Peter complied and went to stand in front of it. When the small opening of the heavy door slid to the right for him to put his hands out, the guard instead of putting on the handcuffs from yesterday, he clasped on his left wrist a small device that looked like a metallic wristband. 

“Excuse me sir, but what is thi-” he didn’t get to finish the sentence when electricity went through his veins. He let out a scream and fell to the ground, tightly hugging his arm as the shocks didn’t stop.

It hurt, like feeling your skin was peeled out hurt.

IT FUCKING HURT! 

It lasted only for five seconds, but for him it felt like five hours. His skin burnt. He remembered when he read online that being burnt alive was the most painful thing a human can experience. Well, it wasn’t fire, but the red marks it left on his hand looked like it. He was still on the ground when the door opened and two guards went inside to lift him up. 

“Like it? It was designed specifically for freaks like you,” 

Peter wasn’t sure which of the two said that. He didn’t care. They started dragging him through the halls as the same person as before continued speaking. 

“It’s a similar version of the one the Rouge Avengers wore in the RAFT. It’s smaller to reduce material cost, but it still does the same work. Which is restricting you from using your powers.” he explained. It was the one on the right. As if that information had any value at the moment. Everything was still kinda foggy in his mind from the pain. He was fighting to keep his eyes open and was half winning-half losing the battle. 

He was starting to regain full consciousness after a while. They briefly stopped a couple of times to open the reinforced doors with their key cards and then again dragged. There was a last stop before they threw him inside. 

He stumbled a little as he regained his footing. As he lifted his head he regretted it immediately. 

He was in the prison’s dining room. It was time for breakfast. 

And there wasn’t an inmate in the entire room that wasn’t looking at his direction. More specifically, him. 

Well, shit. 

Peter walked slowly, shoulders tense, to the canteen and picked up a food tray. Once seeing the food on the other inmate’s trays, he remembered his hunger. Up until now anxiety hid the hunger pains successfully. Last time he ate was yesterday morning, his stomach growled in protest. People were whispering around him, mostly in angry voices. What a surprise. 

“Should attack or somethin’?” 

“Nah, other’s will do it for us. I don’t wanna end up in SHU.” 

While being served his food he felt his weird sense bugging him. He knew they were planning some revenge scheme. He wasn’t surprised to say the least. 

“When should we make our move?” 

“Are you sure we go against him. I mean, he has superpowers and all.” 

The cook looked at Peter in a sad way while he put on the tray some food, like he was pitying him but he didn’t give it much thought. 

“No worries, he has freak powers but we have numbers.” 

He took food tray without glancing at his food as he looked around for an empty table. Not seat, but a whole table. 

“What about the showers?” 

“What about ‘em?” 

“It’s the perfect place for the plan. Minimum guards and no cameras.” 

What was left now was to find a place to sit because god the place was crowded, and he was starting to look like an idiot for standing for so long. 

Not finding a clear table, he settled for the one with the least people occupying it. 

He put his food down as no one gave any objections and stared down at the weird porridge looking mush. It couldn’t be that bad? Peter placed some of it into his mouth with a plastic spoon, since metal silverware was prohibited for obvious reasons. Aaaaaaaaaand... 

...it tasted like a horse chewed mold bread, then threw up and mixed it with sewer water. How the hell could a human being actually eat it. He wanted to throw up even when he had his stomach empty, but food id food and he needed it. So, yeah, he had to eat it. 

“Are you gonna eat it?” a familiar voice said. It couldn't be, how could he forget that this was the prison they also put him in. 

Peter turned to his left to come face to face with Adrian Toomes AKA the Vulture. 

“Toomes?” the man that threw him into a lake, made a building collapse on top of him and almost killed him more times that he can count, was sitting right next to him. 

“Don’t talk that loud,” he hushed him. 

“Seriously, kid. I don’t know you, you don’t know me. If anyone asks I knew you only as Spider-Man. So, are you gonna eat it or not?” 

Peter brought the plate closer to himself. “I always meant to ask; how come you didn’t tell anyone of who I am before...all this?” 

“Keep your head down and don’t look at me.” he snapped still looking at his food. 

Peter did so and started to eat again while Toomes spoke. 

“You could have let me die in Coney Island, but you didn’t. Now we are even.” 

Huh? It turns out criminals _do_ have morals. Or at least most of them. Adrian Toomes wasn’t a complete psycho like some other people he had fought against. He had a family and everything he did was for them. He did commit crimes, however it was because of the government laid him off along with thousands of people. 

“Have you heard of Liz? We haven’t spoken since my trial and she won’t answer my calls.” his expression was sad. Peter felt bad for him, he was just a father after all. Maybe he should had let him go instead of leaving him to the police when the plane crashed. 

Another wrong decision. Another person that had to pay for it. 

“Sorry, last I heard of her was that she moved to Oregon.” 

Toomes let out a deep breath and didn’t move an inch with his head down. It was obvious that he was thinking of something. 

“They are planning to attack you in the showers. You didn’t hear that from me and I don’t want to see you again.” 

“Wait, what?” 

He looked at Toomes direction as the man stood up from his seat. 

“Good luck Peter, you will need it.” and he left Peter alone at the table. 

He should probably alert the guards of the upcoming attack. 

*******

**21/7/2023**

**Hell’s Kitchen West 44** **th** **St.**

**09:12am**

“What do you mean they won’t let me see him?” 

Matt had met a lot of strong, confident women in his short time on earth, however no one was like May Parker. She had this air of being the most mature one, the one that always knew what to do. She was also somewhat of a mother since his client, Peter, didn’t have any other living family members. 

The same goes for May as her nephew is also the only living member in her family. So it was completely normal of her to demand to visit Peter in prison. But, it wasn’t that simple. 

“Mrs. Parker, due to the circumstances family members and friends aren’t allowed to visit apart for his defence attorney, it’s the law.” 

“I don’t give a shit about the law!” she realized that she was starting to yell. “I-I sorry, I shouldn’t blame you for this. It’s just that he-he's only a teenager, he shouldn’t be in prison with-with-” 

She could barely speak. Tears were forming in her eyes. 

“I understand Mrs. Parker that you are afraid that Peter will get hurt in there,” he glanced at her direction. “But I believe that your nephew would want you to be safe take care of yourself first.” 

She adjusted in her seat. Head in her hands. 

How did she get here? His parents left him in her care. All those birthdays, sick days, she was there for him. Always made sure he was alright. Peter was like the son she never had. She had lost so much over the years, after she learned he was Spider-Man it was like the universe did it again. Going out at night to fight crime surely would end up with him in a casket and her crying her eyes out. Just like- 

No. He was still alive, there was still time to make this right somehow. Stark Industries won’t help, Happy wasn’t here, but it didn’t matter. Even if she lost her job yesterday, even if they barely had any money left, she would fight for her kid. She simply was too stubborn to fail as a parent despite the world’s fuck-ups. 

May lifted her head up. A Parker was a fighter, they never gave up and neither will she. 

“You are right Mr. Murdock, he would want that. Anything I can do to help?” 

“Just be there for him. Good news is that we already found someone to testify.” 

Good news is something of a foreign concept for her. Nevertheless, it was something to be happy for so she smiled for the first time in two days. Good news always reminded her of Peter being safe. 

“That is good news.” 

“Well, I’m going to visit him this afternoon, anything you want me to pass on?” 

“Just tell him that I larb him.” she smirked. 

Matt frowned in confusion “Larb?” 

“It’s an inside joke.” she remembered the quiet, simpler days before all this. Just the two of them pretending to be a nice normal family, even if Peter already had powers, it doesn’t mean that they weren't a family. “He always thinks about everyone else before himself, he is a good boy Mr. Murdock. Please make sure everyone tomorrow knows that.” 

“Mrs. Parker, only the jury will have to know that.” 

*******

**21/7/2023**

**Ryker’s Island Maximum**

**Security Penitentiary**

**07:55am**

“Time to go.” 

Peter looked up to see four guards around him. “But I haven’t finished my-” letting the plastic spoon fall down he was lifted to his feet. All the inmates were looking at him. Honestly they never stopped. This would become a routine he guessed. Not a very pleasant one, at least this time he wasn’t shocked and dragged on the floor. 

While waiting for the guard to open his cell door, he remembered the planned attack that Toomes told him. This was his chance. 

Now or never. Preferably now. 

“Sir, there will be a planned attack in the showers later. If you could-AGGGHHH!” 

Why? Just why? No time to think, the only thing in his mind was the pain. And how to keep down the screams but it seemed less important at the moment. 

Did they really just not care? It’s not like he attacked them or anything. 

The four guards just looked down at him, like he was a broken vase and they were debating who was going to tell mom. But without the expression. It was as if they were robots. 

After a couple of long seconds they threw him inside his cell. He didn’t bother to stand up. 

“Nobody likes snitches around here _freak._ ” was the last things he heard before they closed the door behind.

Being in court didn’t sound so bad now. Unless it was decided that he will have to end up here forever. 

*******

"Mr. Jameson, Spider-Man's trial will be in less than 24 hours, any thoughts on how it will unfold and what it means for the future of vigilantism?" the female reporter sat across Jameson in one of those big studios with cameras in every corner.

"Well, Miss Gleason, since it was revealed that Spider-Man is a minor, it doesn't make him any less of a menace. Seventeen people died in London because of him while Mysterio tried to stop him. I might not be an expert in law, but this clearly gives you prison sentence and Peter Parker should take them like everyone else would.

"Putting on a mask doesn't make you a hero, it just helps you avoid the consequences of your actions. If someone wants to become a real hero they should join the police force or the army or the thousands other professions out there which actually make a difference, not wear spandex.

"Thanks for coming today Mr. Jameson." Miss Gleason turned her face to look at the camera. "Now in other news, General Thaddeus Ross is currently in Washington DC as there will be a vote in the upcoming days whenever the Accords will be brought back. Now going to you Charlie."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, found some stuff on the internet regarding the prison schedule. There was the minimum, medium and close. I think that the close is the maximum one so I went with it. According to the site they wake up at 6am and breakfast is at 7am. The while had to be at least 40 minutes, so yeah, he waited for a while. Also the whole timing kinda sucks in this fic. I mean why when we see Matt and May it's like 9am and when it's Peter 7am? The JJJ interview happens at a random time in the day.  
> That's how confusing I made it.  
> See ya next time!  
> -H


End file.
